Meta Keeps Horizon Worlds Alive on VR—for Now

Just when it looked like Meta was ready to pull the plug on VR support for Horizon Worlds, the company has changed course.

In a surprise update, Meta’s CTO Andrew Bosworth revealed via Instagram Stories that Horizon Worlds will continue to work on virtual reality headsets after all. The reversal came after a fan expressed they were “heartbroken” about the earlier decision to drop VR support.

“We have decided, just today in fact, that we will keep Horizon Worlds working in VR,” Bosworth said during the Q&A session. A Meta spokesperson later confirmed his statement.

This marks a quick turnaround. Earlier this year, Meta had signaled plans to phase out VR support for Horizon Worlds on its Quest headsets—once considered a cornerstone of the company’s metaverse ambitions. Just days ago, Meta even announced on its community forums that the app would shift to a web and mobile-only experience starting June 15. That plan has now been scrapped.

Still, the brief decision to abandon VR says a lot about how Meta’s metaverse vision has played out so far. Despite massive investment, the idea of socializing in virtual reality hasn’t caught on with mainstream users. The company’s Reality Labs division, which oversees VR and AR efforts, has reportedly lost a staggering $73 billion since 2021—the same year Meta rebranded from Facebook.

And it’s not just software struggling to find traction. Hardware adoption has also been underwhelming. According to IDC, sales of Meta’s Quest headsets dropped 16% year-over-year between 2024 and 2025. Even Apple, with its high-profile $3,500 Vision Pro headset, has had to scale back production due to weak demand.

Facing these challenges, Meta has already made deep cuts. In January, the company laid off over 1,500 employees in its Reality Labs division and shut down several game studios. Reports suggest even larger layoffs could be on the horizon, potentially affecting up to 20% of the workforce.

Despite keeping VR support alive, Meta’s focus is clearly shifting. Bosworth recently noted in a podcast with journalist Alex Heath that Horizon Worlds is seeing stronger traction on mobile devices. The reason is simple: a much larger audience.

“There’s a much bigger audience in mobile, and it’s having a really positive pickup,” Bosworth said. He also pointed out that developing for both VR and mobile slows the team down, suggesting that prioritizing mobile could speed things up.

The numbers back this up. Data from Appfigures shows Horizon Worlds has reached 45 million downloads across iOS and Android, including 1.5 million downloads so far in 2026. That’s a 53% jump compared to the same period last year.

But there’s a catch. Despite strong download growth, the app has generated only about $1.1 million in total consumer spending—a tiny figure compared to Meta’s massive investment in the metaverse.

For now, Horizon Worlds survives on VR. But Meta’s long-term bet seems increasingly clear: the future of its metaverse experiment may live on your phone, not in a headset.

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